Call Assets (formerly Call Extensions) allow potential customers to call your UK business directly from your ad, particularly on mobile devices.Call Tracking is the critical feature that uses a Google Forwarding Number (GFN) to measure these calls as conversions, linking them back to the exact campaign, ad group, and even keyword that generated the call.

This guide covers how to set up the Call Asset and enable the Google Ads call reporting that powers the tracking.

Part 1: Enabling Call Reporting (The Tracking)

Call reporting uses the Google Forwarding Number (GFN) to track the call and is the foundation for measuring conversions from the ad asset.

1. Log In to your Google Ads account.

2. Click the Admin in the left side menu and select Account Settings..

3. In the tab, click Call reporting.

4. Set the ‘Call reporting’ switch to On.

5. Click Save.

This action enables the GFN system for your entire account, which is a prerequisite for tracking calls from assets.

Part 2: Creating the Call Asset

Now you add the phone number to your campaign and tell Google to use its forwarding number for tracking.

1. Navigate to the Campaign > Assets.

2. Click the Assets tab.

3. Click the blue plus button      and select Call.

4. Choose the Level: Select the Campaign (or Ad group) you wish to apply the asset to.

5. Enter Details:

• Country: Select United Kingdom 

• Phone number: Enter your actual UK business phone number .

6. Enable Call Tracking: This is the most important step for tracking:

• Under the phone number field, ensure Call reporting is set to On (it should be if you completed Part 1).

• When Call reporting is On, Google will automatically display the Google Forwarding Number (GFN) in your ad, which routes the call to your actual number while recording the conversion data.

Part 3: Setting Up Call Conversion Tracking

This defines what counts as a “conversion” in your reports (e.g., a call that lasts longer than 60 seconds). Google often auto-creates a default conversion action, but it’s best to check the settings.

1. While creating the Call Asset (Step 6 above), look for the ‘Conversions’ section.

2. Select Count calls from ads.

3. (Optional) Click Manage conversions to open the conversion settings:

• Click Create Conversion Action

• Category: Choose Phone call lead.

• Click Add Conversion Actions Choose Calls From Ads

• Click Edit Settings

• Value: Assign a monetary value (e.g.,£10.00) or choose ‘Don’t assign a value’.

• Call length: Crucial Step. Set the minimum duration (in seconds) that a call must last to be counted as a valuable conversion (e.g., 60 seconds).This filters out misdials and short, unproductive calls.

4. Click Save on the Call Asset.

Example Scenario

Company: UTDS Optimal Choice (utds.io)

Goal: Track calls from their Search Campaign for “Premium Business Software.”

When a user searches for +utds software demo and clicks the call button on the ad, they are connected via the GFN. If the call lasts over 90 seconds, a conversion is recorded in Google Ads, allowing UTDS to optimize their bids for that high-value keyword.